(2:a.m.: The "Ooh") Tommy McCook with Baba Brooks Band - Rocket Ship (2:39) / 45 [Treasure Isle] (I settled on this original single release for identification purposes because the artist credit includes the band name, unlike every other release of "Rocket Ship" I've seen!) >> Byron Lee & the Dragonaires - Ska De Wah (2:08) / Dance The Ska [BMN] (Also turns up as "Ska Dee Wah" on an MGM (UK) 45 as being by "Byron Lee/Danny Davis" with a Billy Mure comp./arr. credit! Was the 'b' of "Night Train from Jamaica"... yeah, that "Night Train"!) >> Little Darlin' No One (2:59) / 45 [Blue Beat] >> Stranger & Patsy/Byron Lee & the Dragonaires - Hold Me (2:11) / 45 [Kentone] (...I like the "every other kick" feel of the riddim on this one!) >> The Khandars (The Maytals?) - Don't Dig a Hole for Me (2:59) / 45 [Blue Beat] (I haven't technically been able to _confirm_ that this is really Toots & Co., but... let your ears be the judge!) >> Lord Creator a.k.a. Kentrick Patrick - Evening News (2:22) / 45 [Studio 1] (Besides being a lyrically warmhearted, touching tale, this record distinguishes itself by having one of the very few non-fade endings in original recorded ska!) >> Prince Buster - Independence Song (2:46) / 45 [Blue Beat] (For the run-up to Jamaica's big 5-0 in August!)

*(bumper) Mutant Frogs - Perception (full-length demo) (3:27) / unrl. [Skankworks/IMT] (We haven't put the finishing touches on this yet, but ain't it just perfect yackover fodder as is? Ahh, but the coming embellishments will be well worth the wait!)

This month, we ditch the Lollipops to once again bring you the GotchaSKAvered Ska Cover-of-the-Month Club as originally concieved... a different tune every month, covered by a different artist each week... no original versions allowed, though remakes by the original artist are. We kick off June with Don Drummond's classic Confucious, which is exactly how Mr. D spelled it! Now, live from Australia circa 2007 (we think... ) Nicky Bomba conducting the Melbourne Ska Orchestra - Confucious (4:38) / s-r [You Tube upload] (and we have no evidence that the Orchestra ever came out with anything, live or studio, on cd release... if they haven't, they really should... they rock it quite lively!) ...now, for the rest of the playlist!